Nurtured Mommy
Call or text Becky at (310)560-6850
  • HOME
  • About
    • About Becky
    • Testimonials
    • Blog
    • My VBAC
  • Services
    • New Virtual Offerings
    • Holistic Preconception Counseling
    • HypnoBirthing Classes
    • Physiological Birth Classes
    • Birth Doula Package
    • The Phone-Doula Package
    • Addressing Fears
    • Postpartum Doula Support
  • Pregnancy Toolkit
    • Kick Your Morning Sickness to the Curb
    • 3 Key Strategies to Get the Birth You Want
    • Products and Resources
    • Sample Birth Plans
    • Care Provider Options
    • Documents for Clients
  • Contact

Is my milk drying up!?! Part 3

4/16/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
Hi Mommies!

I'm back with more on what to think about and what to do when you feel like your milk supply has dropped off the charts.  We talked about growth spurts and hormonal changes in Part 1 and Part 2 of this series.  Once you've got those two bases covered, and even if one of those two reasons is obviously the culprit, you still need to step back and ask yourself if you are nurturing your own body as well as your nursing relationship with your little one.  (And since you are already taking a harder look at your own nourishment, you can also make sure that you aren't overdoing it with any of the herbs that you should be avoiding while breastfeeding: Sage, Parsley, Black Walnut, and Yarrow.)

When you were first a new mom - sleep deprived and barely able to think about nourishing your own body - you might have had people reminding you to make sure you were drinking enough water and also at least snacking throughout the day, in order to support your body's healing process and also create the ideal scenario for your body to produce lots and lots of milk!  Now that you are either running around with a demanding little person on your hip or literally running around after an energetic toddler that is exploring anything and everything she can get her hands on, you may once again not even have the time or energy to focus on what you are feeding yourself.  Well, let me tell you, if your milk seems to be dwindling, this is the time to pay some attention again and make a point to have a glass of water each time you nurse, and also make sure you are eating a minimum of 3 times a day - kuddos to you if you can get 5 snacks and meals in each day!  Not only will you support your body in making milk, but you will also find that you feel more balanced and have more patience with your little one once you are eating often enough throughout the day.  Your baby may even notice a shift in your attitude when you are well hydrated and well fed and may follow in your footsteps and seem more settled and happy herself.

This brings us to your nursing relationship.  Sometimes this is the factor that gets completely overlooked (don't worry, we've all been there, but you can turn things around)!  When you had a teeny tiny newborn who was completely dependent on you for survival, you were probably a pro at prioritizing spending quality time with her during "feeding times."  Chances are you got all set up on the couch or in bed with a pillow or 2, or 4!  You may have even taken your shirt off and undressed your baby, and really soaked up all the skin to skin time you could when you didn't have company over.  You might have done this instinctually, or maybe someone told you that this would help bring your milk in and strengthen your breastfeeding relationship.  Well, guess what - even if it feels like everything has changed and you could literally nurse upside down with your eyes closed while on the phone with your hubby and not even have to look at your child, these same principles still hold strong.  Nursing still has a whole lot to do with love hormones, with connecting, with having that close and cuddly relationship.  Even if you have been having a hard time balancing your life and taking care of this little person, if you are still interested in nursing, then do what you need to do to keep your nursing relationship strong.  Take some time - 10 minutes twice a day at a minimum - and make a point to focus 100% on your nursling.  Set yourself up in a comfy spot, with no TV, no phone, no computer, just you and your child, and nurse.  Nurse and interact with your baby organically - do what feels right, play with her fingers, run your fingers through her hair, sing her a song, tell her how much you love her.  You can even talk to her about how you feel about spending time nursing with her and ask her how she feels.  If you are really lucky she might even respond to you with a smile without ever unlatching.  These moments are so healing and so incredibly valuable, not only for your baby or for your milk supply, but also for you to feel truly connected as a mom.  These moments are my favorite moments.
0 Comments

Stay at home mom or WAHM feelings... or any mom feelings, for that matter!

4/15/2012

4 Comments

 
Picture
This afternoon I had another one of those moments where I asked myself, am I really cut out for this whole work at home mom thing?  Staying at home is hard!  Being the one trying to meet ALL your child's (or children's!) needs - being an interpreter, a chef, a maid, a teacher, a playmate, an entertainer, not to mention what your actual "real" job description is - is hard!  The thing is, I think we all think to ourselves "I can't believe I'm questioning my decision to be here with my child, what kind of mom am I?"  We feel guilty in those moments where we feel frustrated and overwhelmed (and maybe like there's no way out!), and we also feel alone.  Well, I'm here to tell you that you are not alone!  Even that mom you hang out with once in a while who seems to do it all and just totally have her sh*t together (yeah, I know you have a friend who just popped into your head just now), yeah, even she feels this way sometimes.  You are not alone.  Talk to your friends about it when you have a day like this (or even if it is just an afternoon like this) and know that it doesn't make you a bad mom.  It doesn't even set you apart from any other mom on the block.

Do me a favor, will you?  Leave a comment below telling any mom who is reading this that you've had moments like this too.  Or if you're feeling particularly outgoing and up for the challenge, make your comment more of a note with a scenario where you felt this way, and what was the thing your child did next that got you out of your funk and reminded you that you are home with your little one for a reason and that you really do treasure your time together!
4 Comments

Is my milk drying up!?! Part 2

4/10/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
Loving Nursing!
Hi Nurtured Mommies! 

In my last post I shared that there are a few easy explanations and solutions that should bring your milk back in at full force within a few days, even if you feel like you are "drying up."  I mentioned that we have to talk about growth spurts, hormonal changes, and of course - is mommy nurturing her own body as well as her nursing relationship with her little one?  We already discussed growth spurts here and touched on the subject of your hormones affecting let down (also known as The Milk Ejection Reflex, in case you were curious!)  And to answer a question you might be wondering - no, not everyone feels their let downs, but yes, they are still happening! 
Now let's get down to business.

#2: Hormonal Changes

There could be a number of reasons that your hormones are shifting, and any of these could cause your milk supply to suddenly drop without an obvious explanation.  We will address the one that might be the hardest to wrap your head around first. 

You could be pregnant.  Yup, I said it.  You could be pregnant.  Take it in, and even if you haven't gotten your period back after having your baby, think for a minute about whether or not you recently had a stint with your lover where you were just so much more into it and better lubricated (and I mean naturally lubricated) than you've been since you gave birth.  Well, if you automatically picture a certain private little "get together" with him that happened in the last month or two, go get yourself a pregnancy test and see if you can rule out the possibility of being pregnant again.  Even if you are not pregnant, brace yourself because that night (or day) you were picturing there for a minute could be the only warning you'll get that you are ovulating again and could get pregnant, or could get your period at any moment.

That brings us to the other hormonal shifts that can cause a temporary drop in your milk supply (make sure you read on to the end of the post too, because it will depend on your actions whether it really is temporary or not). 
You could be ovulating, or you could be about to start your period - if you haven't already. 
Now, if you recently started supplementing with formula or if your baby is 6 months old or older and you have recently started solid foods, then this is no surprise.  While some women get their period back a few months postpartum, and others don't get it back for a year or two, the vast majority of us will start ovulating and get our periods back around the time we start supplementing, and thus nursing less often and more sporadically.

On a side note, if you are hoping to avoid ovulating and getting your cycle back for as long as possible, but are thinking about starting solids with your baby, here is some advice for suppressing your baby-making cycle for as long as possible:  Any time you are going to give your baby food, nurse first.  Get in a full nursing session before putting any food in front of your baby.  This will keep your milk-making and cycle-suppressing hormones more stable and your body hopefully won't catch on to the fact that other food is being introduced.  Fortunately, from a health and nutrition standpoint, you can get away with this system until your baby is a year old.  Up until he is one the only nutrition he really needs to grow and thrive is your breastmilk.  The solid food introductions are there more to get him used to the different tastes and textures of (*healthy*) foods, and to let him get excited about learning to feed himself.  Keep an eye out for a post in the future about how to know when your baby is actually developmentally ready to start solids.  Hint: it is not necessarily at 6 months!  

Ok, back to the good stuff about keeping your milk supply up!  I said that hormonal shifts can cause a temporary drop in your milk supply.  I say temporary because as long as you keep nursing on demand (and often enough!) your milk supply should jump right back up after a few days.  If you don't keep nursing even though you feel like there is very little, if any, milk there, you will be telling your body that it is ok with you to stick with that smaller amount of milk.  And yes, your little one still is getting at least some milk each time he nurses, so you don't have to worry about a few days of snacking almost non-stop because pretty soon you two will get back on a more normal "meal" schedule.  Now, if you are still enjoying breastfeeding often and you want to advocate for yourself here, just keep nursing!  And nurture your body while you're at it, too! 

More to come on the topic of nurturing your own body and your nursing relationship in Part 3 of this series.
0 Comments

Is my milk drying up!?! Part 1

4/5/2012

1 Comment

 
Picture
Photo taken by Corie Arvanitakis, Carvani Photography
I can't even tell you how often I hear from women that their milk just went and dried up before they or their baby was ready to stop nursing.  What a sad day for a mama and babe who were still enjoying their breastfeeding relationship!  I am absolutely thrilled when a client or friend comes to me to find out what she can do if she thinks her milk is drying up.  I'm thrilled because I know that there are a few easy explanations and solutions that should bring her milk back in at full force within a few days!  We have to talk about growth spurts, hormonal changes, and of course - is mommy nurturing her own body as well as her nursing relationship with her little one?
I'll break it down for you in a series of 3 posts, so stay tuned for the full scoop!

#1: Growth spurts.

Babies and children go through growth spurts - we all know this.  Now you might hear people mention "the 3 month growth spurt"  or "the 6 month growth spurt," but the truth is, every baby is different!  Yes, your baby will go through growth spurts - and lots of them! - but these spurts are not necessarily going to be right on schedule.  This is why, after having plenty of milk earlier on, when you feel like your baby (who is typically under 6 months old in this particular scenario) is nursing, and nursing, and nursing some more, and you feel like you've been sucked dry, you can rest assured that your baby is getting some milk each time she nurses, and that your body is just going to take a couple of days to catch up and figure out just exactly how much that baby needs now that she's going through a spurt and you are personally nourishing an ever growing and changing little person! 

Another sign that your baby is going through one of these spurts is that she will look a little more chubby than usual.  People might even comment on her deliciously chubby cheeks or thighs!  Well, a few days later, even though she seems like she is a bottomless pit, she is going to lengthen out and look a little taller, slimmer, and more mature.  And by that time you may have even forgotten about your scare, that you thought surely your milk must be drying up! 

If you suspect your baby is going through a growth spurt, the best thing to do is nurse, nurse, and nurse some more (and lay off the bottles if you can!) so that your body will get the message that it needs to produce more ASAP!  Its all about demand and supply.  That's how milk production works. 

One more juicy little tip for you, if you are feeling really tense and discouraged by nursing so often and your baby seems to be getting frustrated too, try taking a nice warm bath together.  The warm water will relax you and pave the way for a free flow of hormones that will make you let down a little more milk, plus being skin-to-skin in a warm bath with your baby will inevitably motivate your little bundle of joy to come snuggle and nurse some more.  Its the perfect set up!  Even if you don't feel any extra let downs, enjoy the snuggles and the relaxing bath together!

1 Comment
    Picture
    Each Nurtured Mommy Happy Baby pendant features a red bead that represents mommy's heart and a "Made With Love" bead that represents baby's heart. ($18.00)

    3 Key Strategies to Get the Birth You Want
    "How to Nurture and Nourish Your Body and Soul So You Can Set Yourself Up for the Happy and Healthy Birth of Your Dreams..."
    Click to learn more!

    RSS Feed

    Becky Gerson

    Creator of Nurtured Mommy. Doula. HypnoBirthing Childbirth Educator.
    Breastfeeding advocate.
    Aspiring midwife. Holistic mama. Rabbi's wife.

    Archives

    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012

    Categories

    All
    Baby
    Baby #2 (or 3 Or 4!)
    Babyweight
    Being A Mom
    Birth
    Birth Stories
    Breastfeeding
    Breech
    Cesarean
    Cord Clamping
    Daddy
    Elimination Communication
    External Cephalic Version
    Food
    Gestational Diabetes
    Giveaways
    Helpful Links
    Husband
    Labor
    Media Gallery
    Milk Production
    Potty Training
    Practical Stuff For Moms
    Pregnancy
    Questions
    Stories

    Follow @yourbirthguide
    Follow Me on Pinterest
Becky Gerson, CD(DONA), HBCE:  HypnoBirthing Childbirth Educator. Doula. Aspiring midwife. Breastfeeding advocate. Holistic mama.